West Bengal Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In West Bengal

Adventure enthusiasts get ready for a treat. Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary features wildlife at its best with blackbucks and spotted deer being the predominant animals.

To add to this list are jackals, foxes and a whole lot of aquatic birds. For casual holiday tourists, Ballabhpur is a great way to spend an evening with family and friends, especially kids.

Much is said about the road to Bindu Dam than about the dam itself. The dam is situated on River Jaldhaka. The rubber plantations and the river make for a beautiful sight and offers photographers a lot of room to experiment.

While on the way to Bhutan from Bindu, don’t forget to stop for a few minutes and take in the serenity before proceeding. Winter in Bindu is amazing as snow clad mountain peaks treat the eyes. Other than these peaks, there are many other mesmerising scenic views which are visible only during winterv months. Jaldhaka Hydel Project gets is supply of water from Bindu Dam.

Garh Mandaran is a very old fort, which unfortunately stands in ruins today. Contrary to what many believe, this fort is of Afghan origin. The conflicting historical data, put together with archaeological proof attracts tourists to this fort. 

Fortunately, today, it sits in a serene setting, unadulterated by pollution and noise, which makes it an ideal place to spend an afternoon or an evening with friends and family. This fort also makes for a good photo location.

This temple, dedicated to the Hindu God Krishna, who is also known as ‘Gopalji’. This temple is well known for a large idol of Lord Krishna and is frequented by locals and visitors alike. The campus houses two small temples and has been designed and built keeping Navratna Architecture in mind. The temple was built in 1778 by Rani Janaki.

The Hazaarduari Palace is the most famous attraction of Murshidabad. The name means a palace with a thousand doors as it has thousand doors. This huge white structure is known for its grandeur and adorns the city centre. The huge front lawn is of the size of two football fields that add grandeur and charm.

The colonial influence in design and huge round columns make it a great place to spend an afternoon. The Hazaarduari palace features several structures, sculptures and gun turrets within the compound. Having been built in 1829, the Archaeological Survey of India has done a great job preserving this palace and it is now a site seeing place cum museum.

ISKCON Temple features various idols in different styles, avatars and postures. The campus is huge and features several temples within. The main building features contemporary architecture blended with elements of ethnic styling.

A huge lotus waterfall idol beautifies the entrance to one of the major temples. The large garden in the centre of the temple campus is a great place to just lie in the sun on an afternoon and be left alone with your thoughts. ISKCON is all about mixing contemporary ideas with the concept of meditation.

The Kurumbera Fort houses a temple of Shiva which was built in the 1400s right beside a mosque which was built by Mohammed Taheer which makes it an epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity and is visited by tourists from all over the country.

The high walls encompassing the fort make for a view of grandeur seldom seen in the region. If in the vicinity, one must try to plan an evening at this fort, watch the sunset and take in the ambience.  

With a collection that’s over 1500 years old, this museum, very centrally located in Malda features regional samples including earthenware, sculptures, paintings, terracotta work and porcelain artifacts. The museum is well maintained and makes for a good afternoon out, especially for art lovers. It is curated by the West Bengal Directorate of Archaeology.

Being the second largest earth dam in the country, Mukutmanipur Dam attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. The resort on the banks of this dam offer breathtaking views.

Nipponzan Myohoji, also known as the Buddhist Temple, is a dazzling white structure that was constructed in 1972. Situated on the hill of Jalpahar, 10 minutes from the center of Darjeeling city, this temple houses four gold and eight sandstone idols of Lord Gautama Buddha. A wonderful piece of classic Japanese architecture, this bright white building provides a serene environment for visitors to meditate.

Aatchala architecture and Terracotta style design is the first impression one has of this age old temple visited by tourists all through the year.

The dominant deity worshipped here is Surya, the Hindu Sun God, the idol having been carved in black stone, and this temple is believe to have been built in the 10th or 11th century.

Known as the birthplace of Nityananda Swami, who is widely acclaimed as one of the proponents of the Baisnav religion, this temple is known for its typical hexagonal shape. It is over 300 years old and attracts pilgrims by the thousands every year. It is close to an ISCKON temple and is around 10 km from Tarapith city centre. The temple is over 300 years old.  

The first tourist attraction that strikes a visitor is undoubtedly the Rajbari or the Royal Palace. The massive brick and white coloured building is awe inspiring.

This used to be the residence of the maharajas back in the day, ones who were responsible for planning Cooch Behar the way they did, well ahead of its time. Later on, the Rajbari was used by the British Empire. Today it has been converted to a museum that speaks and exhibits volumes about the town’s history.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the toy train in Darjeeling was inaugurated way back in the 1800s. Today, it's one of the only mini railway facilities available in India. While scheduled services operate regularly, joyrides are also in the offering and the sights along the way are awe-inspiring! A trip to Darjeeling is incomplete without a ride on the toy train. The toy train is also featured in many Bollywood movies.

Deolo Hill is a great way to do a lot of things in Kalimpong at the same time. The shopping in Kalimpong along with the horse ride put together with the amazing views from the spot make for an amazing way to spend a day in Kalimpong.

Visitors instantly fall in love with the evening mist and the lush green gardens that surround the location. Deolo Hill is essentially the highest point in Kalimpong. It is also known as Hilltop Park and is a great place for some away, alone time.